The Gospel of Matthew: This is My Beloved Son
COMMUNITY GUIDE
The Community Guide below is based on Sunday’s teaching for our new series: The Gospel of Matthew, "Apprenticing with Jesus." As your whole Community gathers (online or in-person), use the Community Guide below to give shape to your time together.
Begin by Practicing the Lord’s Supper Together (5 minutes)
Begin your time by partaking of the bread and the cup together. Have each person bring their own Communion elements or provide elements for the group. To facilitate your time, you can either ask a member of your Community to come ready with a short prayer, scripture reading, or assign someone to read the Apostles Creed we’ve provided below. For those of you that may not be familiar with the Apostles Creed, it is a proclamation of faith that has been recited throughout the years and has often been used as an act of worship and reflection prior to receiving the Lord’s Supper. It is a proclamation of what we as followers of Jesus believe. After reading this ancient creed (aloud), spend a moment in silence before continuing:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day, he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church (universal Christian church), the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
CHECK-IN (10 MINUTES)
As we focus on this series, we want to continue to create space for checking in on each other but doing so in a shorter amount of time. Take a few minutes to do a whole-person check-in (emotional, spiritual, physical) with your Community, creating space for each person to answer the question below:
How can we support you through prayer this next week?
If the need arises, spend a few minutes praying for one another, asking God to meet needs and help each person carry what feels heavy right now.
overview
In Jesus’ baptism by John (Matt. 3:13-17), we learn much more about what it means that Jesus is Immanuel, God with Us (Matt. 1:22-23). First, Jesus’ baptism reveals the triune nature of God, as the Spirit descends upon Jesus and the Father declares him to be his beloved Son. Christian explained that the doctrine of the Trinity (That the God of the Bible is one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is at the absolute center of the Christian faith. It’s meant to ignite and fuel our love and desire for God, as we realize the perfect love, joy, and happiness that our triune God has enjoyed from all eternity–and come to realize that this God created us for fellowship with him!
Second, the baptism of Jesus reveals the character and heart of our triune God: He is high and exalted, but he also dwells with those who are “contrite and lowly in spirit” (Isaiah 57:15). In other words, through his baptism, Jesus both revealed the triune identity of our God and identified with those he came to save–those who were willing to confess their sin and their need to be reconciled to him. Then, in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20), Jesus calls those who trust in him to likewise be baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” because He has made a way for us to be united with our triune God again!
QUESTIONS (20 Minutes)
At Cornerstone, we define a disciple as “a follower of Jesus who is learning from Jesus, trusting Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and helping others do the same.” As we continue through the Gospel of Matthew, discuss these questions in your group and/or for personal reflection throughout the week:
What can I/we learn from Jesus in these verses?
How do these verses call and help me/us to trust Jesus?
What attributes about Jesus are evident in these passages, and how can I/we become more like him?
What are some practical ways I/we can help others to learn from, trust, and become like Jesus?
Missionary Practice For The Week Ahead: BLESS (10 Minutes)
If you do at least one of these practices every day, you will not only become more like Jesus, but you will help others find Jesus too! In your time together as a community, ask the questions, “Who did you BLESS this week? This time of sharing will keep the Great Commission at the forefront of who we are called to be as followers of Jesus. It will also provide the opportunity to celebrate and encourage one another on the journey.
ᐅ B.L.E.S.S.
(B)egin with Prayer:
Pray for the people in your life and the places that you’re in.
People: Who do you live, work and play with that is far from God? Pray that God would create spiritual curiosity in them, and then spend time with them.
Places:
Where does pain exist here? Pray for healing.
Who makes the decisions here? Pray for integrity.
Who throws parties here? Pray for community.
Where are the pennies spent here? Pray for provision.
(L)isten:
Listen to and discover the needs of others and for the places where God is at work.
Before you can help others find Jesus, you need to listen to them first - their hopes, pains, challenges and dreams. In your interactions with others today, take the posture of a learner. Lay down assumptions and practice being present in conversations.
(E)at:
Share meals, drink coffee, and spend time with people in your life that don’t yet know Jesus.
Who can you eat with (or have coffee with) that is far from God? A co-worker over lunch? A neighbor during the day? A friend or family member over the weekend?
Is there a place that you regularly visit (coffee shop, gym, etc.)? Ask God to grant you opportunities to eat with people.
(S)erve:
Who can you serve this week? Who do you know that has a practical need? Ask them how you can help.
Before jumping into serving, have you taken the time to pray for, listen to and eat with these people? Doing these things first helps you discover the way that you really need to serve them.
(S)tory:
Share the story of Jesus and what He is doing in your life with others.
Start by sharing how God has blessed you and made a difference in your life.
Share your story in such a way that demonstrates that Jesus is also at work in their life.
Don’t feel like you have to tell your life story at once. Think “bite-size” stories.
Prayer (10 Minutes)
Spend a few minutes praying for God’s grace over each other, that we might become a people who make Jesus our Lord, and that there might be a sweeping renewal of the Holy Spirit in our city. Ask that God would stir up within us a desire to be with him in prayer and to serve him, one another, and our neighbor in love.